Improved weather-strip



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIBAM A. HAWKINS, OF VIRDEN, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED WEATHER-STRI P.

Specification forming part of Letters `Patent No. 56,046, dated July 3,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. A. HAWTKlNs, of Vrden, in the county of Macoupinand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Door- Strips; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like partswherever they occur.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use the invention,I will proceed to describe it.

My invention consists in arranging a metallic strip underneath the doorin such a manner that by the closing of the door said strip will beraised by means of a lever, and thus made to close tightly against thebottom of the door.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line x or ofFig. 3. Figs. 2 and 4 are transverse vertical sections taken on the linez z of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top-plan view.

It is well known that there is always more or less difficulty ininsuring a tight joint between the bottom of ordinary doors and thethreshold, and that in consequence of this dit'- culty rain, snow, anddust are driven by the wind into the room.

To obviate this difficulty is the object of my invention.

A represents the ordinary wooden threshold, above which is hung the doorB in the usual manner, there being a space left between them to permitthe insertion of my improved device, which consists of a metal strip, a,formed as shown in cross-section in Figs. 2 and 4. This strip thas itsends tting into a recess in each of the door-jambs b, as indicated bytherdotted line in Fig. 3, thus being equal in length to the width ofthe door B. The front or beveled edge of this strip a, is held downclose upon the threshold by its edge at each end impinging under theshoulders formed by the recess cut for its ends in the jambs, or by anyother suitable means.

An inclined or beveled piece, d, is secured permanently tothe threshold,and having its .front edge coming in contact with the rear side of thestrip a, as shown in Fig. 2.

A sliding lever, c, is located under the strip a, as shown in Fig. l, ithaving one end turned up at a right angle, and apoint, h, projectinginward from the upright part, as shown, the point h protruding through ahole in the plate u, which is let into the side of the jamb or casing tokeep'the lever o in place.

At its front end the lever o is slotted, and 'l embraces an incline, n,which is secured at its lower end to the threshold, and having itsopposite end resting on a spiral spring, m.

A roller, e, is secured to the end of the lever o where it strikesagainst the under surface of the strip a, while another roller, o, isattached to it where it comes in contact with the incline n, as shown inFig. 1.

The parts being thus arranged, it will be seen that when the door B isclosed it will strike against the projecting point h, driving the levero backward, and causing its end under the strip a to ride up on theincline n, and thereby raising the strip a up against the bottom of thedoor and closing the joint tight, as shown in Fig. 2, it beingunderstood that as the front edge of the strip a is held down, aspreviously described, it will not be raised up bodily, but will have itsrear edge only raised, thereby giving it a tipping or tilting motionedgewise. The moment the door begins to open the strip a, will begin todescend, and continue to do Vso until it rests upon the threshold, whereit will remain until the door is again shut.

In order to prevent the door from becoming bruised and worn where ithits the projecting point h, a screw is inserted, as shown at f of fFig. 3, for the point to strike against; and by turning this screw in orout the parts can be adjusted so as to raise the strip exactly to therequired point.

The spring m also permits the incline n to yield in case the strip ashould hit the door before the lever `c ceases to move.

It is obvious that, if desired, a projectingy shoulder may be formed onthe surface of the strip a, a corresponding recess being formed for itin the bottom of' the door, whereby the joint may be still moreperfectly closed, if found necessary or thought advisable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The strip a, incombination with the sliding lever c, rollers e and o, and spring m, andthe incline n, when said parts are constructed and arranged to operatesubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HIRAM A. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

HENRY BROTHERS, J. W. UTT.

